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Silver to be sentenced Tuesday

Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver arrives to the courthouse in New York on Monday.(Photo: AP)

ALBANY - Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is set to be sentenced Tuesday as federal prosecutors are seeking more than 14 years in prison for the once-powerful lawmaker.

Silver, 72, was convicted Nov. 30 on all seven federal corruption counts, bringing down an elected official who was one of the biggest players at the Capitol for more than 20 years.

And the Democrat's sentencing in Manhattan federal court will come as the corruption in state government continues to be front and center: Gov. Andrew Cuomo's closest confidante, Joseph Percoco, is being investigated by the same federal prosecutors for alleged outside income during his tenure as Cuomo's top aide. It's part of a broadening inquiry into Cuomo's economic-development initiatives.

"I failed the people of New York," Silver wrote last month in seeking leniency from U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni. "There is no question about it."

With Silver, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is testing the limits of prison sentences sought for convicted New York politicians.

The request of more than 14 years would be the longest prison sentence ever levied against a convicted state lawmaker, and Bharara is also asking that Silver return $5 million he pocketed from his corruption schemes.

Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver arrives to the courthouse in New York on Monday.(Photo: AP)

The sentence "should punish Silver for the vast harm he has caused and the position of trust that he exploited, deter other elected officials from the temptation towards corruption, and communicate to the public that the rule of law applies even to the most prominent of public officials," Bharara's office wrote.

Silver was convicted of collecting $5 million from two law firms over a series of years in exchange for using his influence to steer work to the firms, as well as provide state grants to a doctor who had patients suffering from illnesses associated with asbestos.

Bharara also scored a conviction in December against the former Senate leader, Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County.

Skelos was convicted for using his influence to get jobs for his son, Adam, who was found guilty in the scheme.

They are set for sentencing May 12.

Bharara’s office asked District Judge Kimba Wood to sentence Skelos to 12½ to 15⅔ years in prison, arguing that Skelos’ crimes rank among “the most serious public corruption crimes committed in New York state in recent memory.”